Multicolored Horses
by sakurachn
Summary: She can heal, she has a knack for genjutsu, and can land a hell of a punch. She also loves soccer. Haruno Sakura plays for team Uma horse. Everyone on the team is their own person, their own color, they must be multicolored horses. R&R or no update Rock o
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own Naruto or the characters. **

Her short, layered hair was tied up in a messy pony-tail, her shoe strings were laced tightly, and her red socks stopped barely below her knees. The thick black stripes she brushed under her eyes were now a mixture of paint and sweat. Her cleats seemed irrelevant for she nearly flew over the field. The stray hairs she missed in her rush to pull her hair up whipped back in her wind. She dodged, she weaved, she dribbled. Soccer was the most stimulating, thrilling, terrifying thing she could ever play.

She loved it.

She loved how her short pink hair would whip around, she loved how she could be counted on, she loved kicking, blocking, dodging, weaving.

The season started today. She could put the duties of a shinobi aside for all of soccer season. Shinobi from other villages and countries would join any team, no one team represented a village or country. The name of the team she was on was "Uma" or horse.

Only six teams competed, "Inu"(dog), "Kuma" (bear), "Ookami" (wolf), "Raion" (Lion), "Tora" (tiger), and "Uma". Last year, Uma's top rival was Ookami. In games with Ookami, blood was always on the field. Last year, Ookami won both times they played. Sakura wanted to beat them this year.

She was also curious about their new coach, since their old coach had been killed during the off-season, as a shinobi. The other soccer players started to gather on the field as they always did.

They waited for about thirty minutes for their new coach to show up, no dice. She sighed quietly. 'I hope our new coach isn't Kakashi sensei.'

"Might as well practice…" She said to herself.

"Naruto! Do you want practice a little? Maybe get in the goal for some shots?" The pink haired girl asked.

"Sure Sakura-chan." He replied.

They hurried down the field to the penalty box. Naruto set up in the goal and Sakura got on the line.

"Ready?" She asked.

"Yeah!"

She kicked a roller the first time, which was easily blocked. She stopped the ball with her abdomen and took another shot that got some lift. The ball was angled perfectly and just barely swept in at the upper right corner of the goal.

Naruto kicked it far this time, she sprinted to retrieve it.

Sakura kept the ball close to her feet as she tore down the field. She had no idea what happened. The kunoichi slammed into something brick-solid and went sprawling on her back.

"Ouch…" She winced. She craned her neck to try to glimpse what she'd run into. Gaara. He was supposed to be on the Ookami team. "Dumbass… what are you doing here?"

"I believe it was you that ran into me." He sneered. "And, I'm the new coach for Uma."


	2. Chapter 2

**I do not own Naruto.**

**But what I do own is this story, so if you don't review, there's a huge chance that I won't update. So if you like this story, just click the review button at the bottom of the screen and write that you like it, it's as simple as that. You don't even have to do that much! You can just say 'Nice' 'cool' or shorter, 'wow'. A simple review will keep me writing! Thanks!**

"You? You couldn't give us new material to learn, I played you just last year. You are lying." Sakura smirked.

"I could teach _you_ a thing or two, like respecting authority." He bit back.

"You will never have control of _me_. Fuck you." She spat.

"Can't and won't. Coaches can't do their players, plus, you aren't really my type." Gaara said pointing at her.

"Yeah, I'm sorry, you're right. I'm not a bimbo or a prostitute." She smiled.

"Checkmate." She smirked, turning her back on him and walking away.

"Okay. It's time I introduce myself to all of you. I am Gaara. I expect you to treat me as the ultimate authority. You answer to me. I expect you to call me coach. If you do not, I will have you run laps after practice. No fights on the field, I expect you to handle matters maturely, verbally. Not with fists. If you decide to hit a player or myself, I will punish you as I see fit." He rattled off.

"Am I clear with my standards and rules?!" Gaara demanded.

"Yes…!" Some cheered, some mumbled, and some cursed.

"Elect your four team leaders preferably the best players. Since the team is so much smaller this year, you won't need ten leaders. There are approximately thirty-nine players here, correct?"

"Forty, coach!" Shouted Konohamaru, the smallest and the youngest on the team.

"Begin your selections." Gaara dismissed.

After five minutes, the best four were picked.

"Who are your leaders?" Gaara questioned.

"Sakura Haruno, Naruto Uzumaki, Rock Lee, and Neji Hyuuga." Shouted a vote collector.

"You four are to lead the team when I am not available. If you break any rules, you will pay twice as much. You are supposed to be role-models for these players. If you mess up, they will feel inclined to mess up as well. If one of the players in your group messes up, you will also run with them." Gaara said looking at Sakura and Naruto, the two most prone to messing around.

"I think it's important that you focus on all of us potentially screwing up, instead of just Sakura and Naruto, Coach." Neji said firmly.

"I agree as well." Rock Lee said glaring slightly.

"It's not right to just pin-point Sakura-Chan and I, coach." Naruto said rebelliously.

"Do not base _our_ leadership skills on just a few seconds prior. In the future, I hope you do not make the same mistakes, coach." Sakura said, almost sneering.

"All of you run, now. Five laps." Gaara smirked. "Do not back talk to me, in the future; I hope you do not make the same mistakes."

"What did Lee do?" Naruto and Neji demanded.

"It's nothing; the leaders are just being initiated." Sakura assured a fellow player.

"He didn't call me coach. Now both of you have to run an additional five laps after practice." Gaara growled. "Do your five now."

The four started running.

"That arrogant prick! Who does he think he is?!" Sakura bit out.

"I'm sure he means no hard feelings…" Naruto smiled helplessly.

Sakura looked at Naruto. "He's trying to change us, and I don't think how we feel about him afterwards makes any difference in what a scum wad he is now."

"He will not change us. We were elected team leaders for a reason." Neji stated firmly.

"Our youth simply prevents it!" Lee punched at the air, jumping into the conversation.

"Do you see the way he looks at us? He knows exactly what he's going to do with us, the most rebellious spirits here. He's going to try to make examples of us. Then we will slowly fade into the background, as if we never were team leaders in the first place." Sakura sniffed.

"He's a genius. He had us figured out seconds after his arrival." Lee said simply.

"Perhaps prior knowledge aided him in his assumptions. We met him at the Chuunin exams, when the Akatsuki extracted the Shukaku." Neji rationalized.

"We don't know how long he was here either. He could have been here for hours." Sakura exclaimed.

"Gaara was my friend though." Naruto grumbled.

"Oh, yeah, bummer." Sakura said grinning. "Look Naruto. You said it yourself. He's an ass."

"He really is!" Neji interjected.

"Eh, Nej. I wouldn't talk. You were a real doozie yourself back in the day." Naruto laughed.

"Sakura-Chan, are you still up to going out to eat tonight?" Lee questioned.

"Yeah. You know what? I'll run with you guys." Sakura smiled. "I can't have you two running without me."

"Yes! I will disrespect him all I want as-"Lee! Five laps! End of practice!" Gaara said, listening to Lee as they passed him for the fourth time.

"That coach has got to go." Sakura growled.

"Agreed."

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"Finally done, you four? I expected more from Rock Lee, the fastest ninja of all the villages." Gaara drawled, throwing a sidelong glance at Lee.

"I wished to run with my friends, they are more important than reaching the finish line first, coach." Lee said offhandedly, almost as if the information were common knowledge.

"What about you, Hyuuga? I thought you were a loner? Why didn't you pull ahead?" Tested Gaara.

"Do not judge those you aren't sure of, coach. These are my friends and I wanted to run with them as well." Neji replied in a hush, barely avoiding hissing at his new soccer coach.

"What about you, Naruto Uzumaki? Didn't you want to prove that you are the best?" Gaara dissected with an almost professional ease, the results were not those he was searching for though.

"No coach. The best soccer player here is Sakura-Chan. I'd rather prove that these people I ran with are my best friends." Naruto frowned glaring daggers at his former friend.

"Ok, Haruno. If you're the best, why did you socialize instead of trying to show me up?"

"I have several reasons for this, coach. Number one: I wanted to run with my friends. Number two: Showing you up isn't a concern of mine. Number three: All for one, and one for all." Sakura smirked.

"I will accept these excuses since it is important that you stay with the team and not move faster for personal benefit." Gaara said dismissively.

"Good." All four replied.

"Uzumaki, I need you in the goal box now!" Gaara instructed. "Neji, I need you as the sweeper, defensive position, you know, right in front of the goal."

"Yes, I do know, coach. I've played this position for the better half of my life." He muttered under his breath.

"Lee, you should be at midfield already if you're so fast." Gaara hustled.

"Haruno! What are you doing at left forward?" Gaara shouted in military format.

"This is my position, coach!" She yelled back.

"I think not! I'm putting you at midfield." Gaara declared.

"Middle, left, or right?!" Sakura screamed.

"Look around! What position is open, Haruno?" He nearly gloated.

"Middle." She ground out.

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"Sasuke Uchiha, I want you on the opposing team, middle forward." Gaara announced finishing up the list for the opposing team in the scrimmage.

"Can we begin now, coach?" Ino griped from her defensive position.

'Yeah, please?' Sakura thought.

"Yeah."

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Tenten passed the ball back to Lee who became a mere blur. Shikamaru challenged the up-field movement and in a second, Lee passed the ball to Sakura.

She dodged Shino with some difficulty but came through. Celina rammed Sakura causing her to nearly lose the ball. Kicking the ball up was her last option. She swerved past Celina, the ball now back in her possession. Too preoccupied with Celina and Shino, Sakura failed to notice the danger head on.

Sasuke drove straight into her, knocking her to the ground. She landed, hitting the turf hard in a series of dangerous somersaults and spins.

"Ow…" Sakura groaned wincing. She took the out-stretched hand and slowly got to her feet.

"He's on my side, but you know? He is such an ass sometimes." Ino said, offering a small smile.

"Yeah. Thanks Ino." Sakura said to the goalie. A few seconds and she took off, tearing downfield.

With a vengeance the kunoichi raced over to counter the long shot attempt on the goal. She narrowly avoided tripping over Shikamaru when she turned the direction over. Hannah, who was thankfully on her team for the scrimmage, was wide open for a pass. However, goals were not Hannah's strong point. A perfectly angled attempt was deflected by Ino, but the opportunity was not missed by Sakura. With a single kick, the ball rolled past Ino who was still recovering from her previous save.

It took a hug from Ino to knock her down. Both girls laughed.

"Yamanaka! Why are you congratulating Haruno on her goal she got past you? You should be contemplating your worth and skill, not enjoying defeat. Five laps after practice." Gaara shouted from the sidelines.

Ino scowled, "Arrogant butthead."

"You wanna go out with us to eat after the laps?" Sakura asked.

"Sure."

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"Now that the team has left, you all may begin your laps." Gaara bossed.

The group set their pace early and kept it, conversing merrily despite their punishment.

"You know Sakura; you didn't have to run with us, especially since your shoulder is so sore." Neji commented on Sakura's awkward jog.

"No, it's fine. I'd rather be with you guys than waiting with him anyway." She explained. "Anyway, where are we eating again?"

"Haru's. Their sushi is very good." Lee answered, it was his turn to pick.

"Hmm. Yeah, sushi sounds good." They all agreed.

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"Haruno!"

"Oh jeez, what have I done now?" She groaned trotting over to him.

"What?" She seethed.

"I don't appreciate you joining the group in running." Gaara hissed.

"Well you know what? Practice is over. I can do whatever I want, and if that means running, then I'm gonna run." Sakura smirked. "And you know what else? You don't scare us. Not Neji, not Lee, not Naruto, not Ino, and certainly not me!"

Gaara merely laughed meanly at her.

"Do not laugh at me." Sakura bristled.

"Why not? Practice is over. I can do whatever I want. Oh, and Haruno, if you aren't scared of me, then why did you jump three feet into the air? Wait, I know the answer. Because you can do whatever you want, right?" He countered.

She took five cautious steps toward him. "You better watch yourself."

"No," He said grabbing her wrists and pulling her to him. "You better watch yourself. You are treading on thin ice." He whispered with deadly calm.

"Thin cracked ice, right? I don't care who or what you are-"Then you better start. An off-season does exist." He said seriously.

"You're suggesting that you would break a strong alliance between the wind and fire just to get even with the shit I've been pulling?" Sakura scoffed. "Ha! Remind me to stay far away from you on April Fools' Day."

"I am not suggesting that I'd kill you; that would be completely useless. We'll just see how my idea rolls out." He said thoughtfully, the slight curvature in his lips was missed by the kunoichi.

She narrowed her verdant eyes at him. "What idea is this?"

"If I was being vague to start with, what makes you think I'm going to tell you once you've asked?" The red head solicited, thoroughly enjoying the game he was playing.

"Well, I have no doubt that you have ideas, but I doubt very many of them involve me. I'm not worried." Sakura shrugged, not bothered by the unknown.

A moment of silence lasted between the two, leaving both doubtful of each other and themselves.

"Well, if that's all you wanted me here for, then I'm going to go." She said suddenly.

"No, that's not all I have to say." He spoke after a long while.

"Then what else?" She gasped in exasperation.

"What happened to your shoulder?" He asked with mild interest.

"I think we were all there. You, me, Uchiha, and the team. I thought you might have missed the fact that he practically spiked me into the ground considering that was a foul." Thundered the slim leaf shinobi.

"Did he ram you with his arms, his hands, what?"

"His upper arm." Sighed Sakura.

"Legal."

"Whatever, you just wanted to see him knock me down. I don't play dirty like you and he do." She returned dismissively.

"Wait, you're trying to make me angry, right?"

"Oh, it's not working then, damn." She blurted.

"What exactly do you imagine happening when you make me mad? Am I throwing things like an insane person, but somehow miraculously missing you or am I yelling?" He rattled off.

"More of a combination of the two." She interjected.

"Well," He pulled her over his desk completely dictating her body, "You'll be in for a big surprise. I usually don't do either of those things. I break things."

**Yeah!!!!! I had to redo this chapter, it was just a little crappy, so yeah… Review and the updates will come faster. **

**Rock on**


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